


It Was Just A Stupid Idea

by ARtistic_Nacho



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Eventual Fluff, Highschool AU, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Intrusive Thoughts, M/M, Not What It Looks Like, Other, Panic Attacks, cursing, implied eventual anxiet, slight prinxiety
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-06-23 15:19:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15609159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ARtistic_Nacho/pseuds/ARtistic_Nacho
Summary: For reasons unclear to the rest, Virgil has a falling out with his small circle of friends. To him however, he had a perfectly good explanation for saying such terrible things, and he has no plans on apologizing anytime soon.With nothing left to lose, Virgil decides to tell his crush, Roman, that he likes him. But in order to accomplish such a feat, he chose to, with his father's help, buy a ring from an antique shop. With his junior year fast approaching, will he be able to tell Roman before he finds someone on his own?





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> I defiantly plan on making this multiple chapters! I have so many ideas now that I've written a decent summary!  
> Welcome!
> 
> This first chapter is a rough draft that has half of the story into a one-shot format, so if you want to wait until I make the chapters, feel free to do so! Just remember if you do that I won't get your feedback, which helps me greatly with setting up future chapters, characters, and ideas!
> 
> So, this was honestly supposed to end in a completely different way! Like, Deceit was not even going to appear in this one... I appreciate constructive criticism, and if there are any other warnings I should add, please let me know.
> 
> Word Count:4,132 (Not too shabby)
> 
> Trigger warnings: Cursing, being cornered, panic, anxiety(ofc),negative thoughts, sick family members, and family members walking out.  
> Relationship: There is no actual relationship, but it hints at prinxiety, logicality, and some slight anxceit, but nothing major.

An annoying beeping sound jars Virgil from his less than peaceful night’s rest. Turning over, he slaps his hand on his alarm clock a few times, making sure to turn off his alarm. He peels his eyes open slowly, looking at the time.

_5:30_

He groaned. Why did he think it would be a good idea to leave showering in the morning? Virgil pushes himself out of bed, trying to be as quiet as possible. If he woke his dad up, it would be the end for him.

  
**_‘After all, your good ol’ dad is tired only because of you.’_**

He floundered over to his closest, pulling out the first clothing options he could find because it’s not like matching mattered when you wear all black. Unless your blacks end up not matching, then you are just screwed.  
  
Once Virgil finished his shower, he put on a pair of black skinny jeans, a black Evanescence shirt, and his signature black hoodie. He checked his hair once more, making sure his bangs were evenly spaced apart, before exiting his bathroom. Virgil walked down the stairs, the smell of pancakes dulling his senses. He looked to his right, where his dad was cooking chocolate chip pancakes.

“Dad, should you really be cooking today.” He didn’t need to get up, he could have made a hot pocket or something.  
“Do you not appreciate my signature pancakes anymore? And here I thought you would like the surprise ingredient,” his dad leaned heavily on the counter, over exaggerating his movements in the process. Virgil rolled his eyes, “Oh my god dad, don’t be so dramatic.”

“But I’m not being dramatic!”  
“Sure you’re not.” Heaving a laugh, his father turned back to the task at hand, expertly flipping a pancake onto the plate. Virgil clapped, making sure to let out a quiet whoop in the midst of cheering.

“What is going on here?”

Both males freeze and slowly turned around. Virgil’s mother looked them over with a hardened gaze, her eyes zeroing in on Virgil,  
“I thought I told you two,” she started out, both of them looking down guiltily at her staccato like words, “No cooking chocolate chip pancake without me! How could you do this Brent? I trusted our secret mix with you!” She then grinned mischievously at the two. Her brown eyes lighting up,  
“’Guess I’ll need to eat them all, that way our recipe will not get out in the open.”

“Mom, no!”  
“Love, ca-we can work this out, think about what you’re about to attempt to do!”

She chuckled, “Attempt? Honey, I’m going to succeed!” She took off, running full speed, laughing evilly, in an attempt to grab the pancakes on the platter. Brent screeched something about the “sharing is caring rule” before grabbing the platter and taking off in a random direction.  
Virgil chuckled at his parent’s antics. Waltzing up to the stove and flipping a pancake currently on the pan. He watched in amusement as his parents took turns chasing each other, his mother taking a bite of a pancake each time she got her hands on the platter. How is he this lucky to have such amazing parents?

  
**_‘More like how did such amazing parents have you_ _._ _’_ **

He quickly flipped his pancake onto a plate, today was not the day to deal with this.  
  
Virgil and his parents laughed at the table at the clever joke his father told. Who knew not all dad jokes are bad jokes? He took one last bite of his pancake, ultimately eating the last pancake standing.  
Virgil checked his phone screen, his eyes widening,

“Crap!”

His parents flinched. Brent caught on quickly, looking at the clock and shaking his head as he darted upstairs and into his office. His mother on the other hand,  
“What? What is it? Did you hurt yourself? Too many pancakes?” Virgil pointed to his screen when it lit up again, showing his mother the time,

_6:53_

He glared at his phone screen, hissing. “I’m going to miss my bus.” Virgil headed for the stairs. “I gotta get my stuff mom! I’ll be right back!” Diving into his closet, he grabbed his backpack, slinging it over his shoulder. He darted across the room, grabbing his headphones, stuffing them into his bag, along with yesterday’s homework. Multiple craps and shits were whispered in under a minute.

  
His father’s footsteps thundered down the hallway, he barged through his door,  
“Normally I would knock, but we are on a time limit today, Virge.”

“It’s fine, do you have his present?”  
“I do!”  
“Fantastic.”  
“Was that a Doctor Who reference?”  
“Dad.”  
“Sorry.”  
Brent placed a swift kiss onto his forehead whispering words of encouragement as Virgil practically flew down the stairs.  
Virgil ran into the kitchen, placing a kiss on his mother’s cheek.  
“Bye mom, I love you!” He called out as he started to close the door. His mom cautioned him about crossing the road, with him promising to be safe, he finally left his house.

 Running is so not his thing. Why did he have to miss his bus? He couldn’t be sweaty when he gave his crush their gift, that’s just a disaster waiting to happen.  
Multiple thoughts overtook his mind as he ran to his school. Well, it was more like jogging, but still, it was running to him. Don’t judge! Virgil saw the school in the distance, he decided he was close enough to walk now, given that he still had around twenty minutes before the tardy bell would ring.  
How was he going to give his crush their present? He knew he couldn’t just walk up to him and go,

_“Hey, I know I stopped talking to you and my group of friends for two months and counting, but that reason was because I completely and utterly fell in love with you, but I am too much of an idiot to come to terms with that, so I ducked out.”_

Or even worse,

“ _You know all those times I was a dick to you? Yeah, those. It was because you were being too cute in the moment for me to comprehend, so I usually ended up storming away or fighting you. So, sorry ‘boutcha! But hey! Look at this ring I bought that my father and I busted our asses to buy for you, cool huh?”_

Fat chance of that working out.

 He could always leave it in his locker anonymously, but that wouldn’t solve anything. He looked down at the gift in his hands, a dull gold ring sat in the middle of his pale hand, the ring had an intricate flower design, as well as a sword’s hilt on the underside of the ring. His father worked overtime and graveyard shifts to help pay for the pricey antique.  
 He gave it another once over before shoving it in his pocket, Roman would never even like this! How stupid was he? Thinking this was a good idea. Virgil looked up just in time from missing a light pole. He briskly walked around the pole, putting his headphones on and selecting shuffle. He smiled when his favorite band started to play.  
Virgil sighed as he pushed open the high school’s main doors. Oh well, he can always keep it for himself, yeah his fingers maybe too thin for the ring to fit, but rings on necklaces are popular right now, so it won’t seem out of the ordinary to randomly walk into school with a ring on his neck. Besides, it’s not like anyone would notice, he doesn’t have friends anymore.  
  
  He made his way to the gym, sitting on the far end, away from everyone’s too loud conversations. Why do they need to practically shout when they are so close together?  
Virgil stole a few glances to his old posse of friends. Logan seemed like he was faring well, his tie matched Patton’s shirt, which is pretty cute he guessed. Patton must have told everyone a joke, because when he looked at Roman, his eyes lit up with humor. He burst out laughing, and everyone around him was quick to join.

  
**_‘Look how happy he is without you.’_ **

  Virgil sighed, closing his eyes in a meek attempt to block out that thought. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself staring directly into Roman’s green hues. Gasping softly, he lowered his gaze at his phone, opening Tumblr and flicking through it, not really paying attention to what he saw on the screen.  
God he’s such an idiot! He stared too long. The others must think he’s an absolute freak! Maybe if he apologized for the fight he had with them, they would take him back?

  
**_‘You’re pitiful if you actually think that would work, they must hate you.’_ **

He swiftly looked up to see his past partners in crime chatting away.

**_‘Knew it.’_ **

 ‘Good,’ he thought bitterly, ‘it’s better this way.’  
A loud buzzing jarred him from his thoughts, only calming down once he realized it was just the bell.  
He jostled his hand as he made his way down the busy hall. He kept rubbing the ring, treating it like a fidget cube. He cringed when one of his less favored song started to play. He took his hand out of his pocket, switching to a new song.  
  
 Heading to his first class was a blur. He was deep in thought, thinking of all the different scenarios that his anxious mind could phantom.  
It took thirty full minutes for him to realize. His teacher Ms. Marshal was talking about today’s lesson, unmindfulness and forgetfulness.

Ms. Marshal basically skipped to the board after calling role. “Now that we have covered Hades, we will get into the five rivers of Hades.” Virgil looked on, only paying attention part time, “We are going to start with my favorite one, Ameles potamos, which translates river of unmindfulness.”  
Virgil looked out the window, reaching into his pocket to thumb his ring, he dug around in his pocket for a moment before realization hit him like a ton of bricks. His ring is not there.

  
Good.Fucking.Job.

  
His breathing picked up as he frantically searched through his belongings, covering every inch. He searched the ground following the path he walked into his desk. Nothing. His ring that his father worked double the amount for, all those part time jobs over the summer for nothing. He can’t help but pray to whatever’s out there. Let this be a realistic dream, a nightmare, he passed out. Hell, anything is better than what’s happening to him right now.  
He can barely breathe, this wasn’t happening. It was not happening!

  
 He flinched when he felt a soft hand on his shoulder, he looked up to see his petite teacher gazing at him with concern. He looked around to see other students working, thankfully only one or two were watching his mental break down.  
Ms. Marshal whisper to him, asking something, but it was too fuzzy for him to hear,

**_‘You can’t even listen properly.’_ **

He gasped out a soft “What?”

“Do you need to go outside for a moment?” Virgil softly nodded, collecting his thoughts best he can when she motioned to the classroom door. He crept quietly out the door, his teacher in tow.  
Once he was outside his teacher asked him a few questions,

“Are you okay?” Nod.

“Do you need to leave?” He shook his head.

“Do you need to be alone for a moment?” Another nod.

She gave him a stiff nod, sending him one more glance before entering the classroom once again, leaving a statement hanging in the air, “If you need me to send a friend out, I will, so let me know.”

**_‘Ha, what friends?’_ **

 The door made a click sound, notifying him that it closed. Past his tears, he can make out two shaking hands. He slid to the floor, wondering what the hell he did to deserve this. After a few minutes of collecting his thoughts, he picked himself up. He needed to find that ring.  
  
 After another minute or two to regain his composure, he got up on unsteady legs, and started his search.  
His ring had to be here somewhere. After multiple futile attempts at finding his most expensive possession he collapsed next to a trash bin, fresh tears pouring.  
As he was about to get back up, a set of firm hands grabbed Virgil’s shoulders, making him flinch for a second time that day. A crisp voice found its way to his ears, slightly calming him down.

  
“Virgil? What happened? Can you hear me?” He nodded. Who’s here?

 Blinking away his tears, he looked up to see Logan with a worried Patton in the background. Why the flying fuck are they here? It didn’t matter, what mattered was Virgil being a complete fuck up for losing the ring.

  
 “Virgil, are you having an attack?” No? Why are you asked dumb questions?

 Virgil glared lightly, choosing a more polite approach than he would have liked, “No. Why are you here?” He shrunk down into his hoodie, he did not want to be here right now.  
Logan adjusted his glasses as Patton calmed down, breathing a sigh of relief.  Patton gave him his ‘disappointed dad look’ and Virgil shrunk into his hoodie some more. Patton can be more threatening than he realizes.

“Well, kiddo-“

“Don’t call me that.”

“Shush. As I was going to tell you, Logan found this nifty ring in the hallway-“

Ring?

“Where! Where is it?” Virgil was instantly freaking out again.

It had to be his ring!

Logan told him something but he wasn’t listening, he needed to know! Patton looked baffled at Virgil’s outburst.

  
“Kiddo, it’s okay, we were on our way to turn it in at the office, when a boy with this neato snake charm walked up. He seemed like he was in a rush, too! Maybe we-“

“Patton you are getting off topic.”

“Sorry. Thanks, Lo. Well he said that it was his ring that he lost earlier this morning, so we handed it off to him.” Virgil shut down. His thoughts halted, his breath caught in his throat, and his body was too stressed to continue shaking. What? His ring. His gift to the one he loved ‘oh-so-much’.

No, Virgil. It could be a different ring.

**_‘Were you ever that lucky, though?’_ **

“Patton.”  
“Yeah kiddo?”  
“What did the ring look like?”

Before Patton could go on about the ring, Logan provided the answer he was hoping to not hear,  
“It was a dull golden ring, it also had floral designs-”

  Virgil got up hastily, as if a snake bit him. He felt queasy and the shaking came back just as fast as it disappeared.  
“Oh my god,” he started out, he saw black dots enter his vision, he couldn’t control his breathing anymore. Please. Let it be a joke. It’s a terrible prank and they knew about the ring the whole time.

“Virgil.” Who?

“Virgil.” What is he doing?

“Virgil!” He snapped out of his dazed state,

“Hu-huh. What?”

  
“You zoned out, kiddo. Are you okay?” Patton, it’s just Patton.

 He searched around for a moment, someone was missing from the picture.  
“Wher- Where’s Logan?” Patton shifted closer to Virgil, slowly putting an arm around his shoulder.

“He went to get the nurse, but I just texted him that you’re okay, so he should be coming back now.”

“Where’s Roman?” In the months that he had been apart from his friends, he never saw the three separated.  
Patton glanced down the hall to see Logan and a tall guy coming their way.

“Roman’s in a different class right now, so he didn’t find the ring with us.”

A single “Oh” left his mouth.

 When Logan and the boy came close enough, Virgil noticed how tight his grip on the boy’s arm was. Patton seemed to notice that too, but he didn’t say anything.  
Once Logan came close enough to talk quietly, he started a mini rant,

“I found this heathen,” Logan gestured to the guy, “roaming the hallways. He did not have a hall pass, but he did have a lot of metal bands.” Logan shoved the boy’s jacket down, showing off tons of stitch-on inside pockets. He pulled a few items out, just to drop them onto the floor.  
Patton gasped loudly, Virgil’s eyes widened significantly. These items were very familiar to both of them.

One by one, more pockets were emptied, class rings showered the hallway’s dirty floors. Logan continued,

“I watched him fill his pockets with the class rings in the teacher’s lounge. He is also the one who said the ring that is presumably Virgil’s was his.”  
Patton looked on, shocked at what he was seeing, “Kiddo,” he choked out, “why would you steal class rings?” His eyes filled with tears as he continued to gaze at the multicolored rings.

 The boy’s amber eyes grew cold, the once petrified person transformed into a hardened shell, “None of your business. If I wanted to be questioned, I would have just made a shit-load of noise as I took ‘em.” Logan blinked, seeming to try and keep his composure.

“I do not understand. There is absolutely no gain in taking rings.”

“Yes there is!”

“Kiddo, how? Stealing is wrong! This could get you a one way ticket to prison!”

“I have my reasons, trash.'

“You will not speak to Patton like that! He was simply trying to get an explanation!”

“Shut up! I don’t need to explain my reasoning, clod.”

“But you do have a reason that can get you out of trouble?”

“Of-fucking-course I do, Sherlock!”

“Don’t talk to Logan like that! He just wants to help!”

“Then tell us!”

 Three heads whipped around when the ever silent teen Virgil shouted, seeming to have forgotten him. He took large, quick steps towards his target, who took a two steps back for every step forwards Virgil made.  
“Tells us why you took the rings.”

 Logan and Patton looked on as Virgil backed him into a wall. Once the boy couldn’t go anywhere, he tried to seem bigger by raising his shoulders and neck. But unluckily for him, when Virgil stopped slouching and rose to his full height, he had a good four inches on him.He planted a hand on the wall, trapping his target.  
Virgil seethed, his nostrils flared out slightly,  
“Listen buddy,” the boy shrunk back down.

“I don’t know who the fuck you are, but you can’t just go parading around, stealing people’s rings! Do you know how much one of those costs? Like four hundred freaking dollars!”

The boy looked anywhere but Virgil’s direction.

“What’s your name?” Confusion passed over his face.  
“What?”  
“You heard me.”  
“Why should I tell you, bitch?”  
“Excuse me?”

Silence, then a quiet murmur,  
“Alastor…”

 Virgil glared at him. “Well, Alastor, I hope you realize unless you have a good damn reason for stealing all of those rings, which must have my ring that my father worked his ass off for in it, I will report you. And then you can say bye-bye to your little life of stealing people’s shit.”  
Alastor stayed silent, as if his shoes were more interesting than what’s going on around him. Virgil looked over him one more time, before leaning his body off the wall and making his way to the office, anger controlling his anxiety. Thank you adrenaline.

**_‘It’s sad knowing you’re only this gutsy due to adrenaline’_ **

Hush. Not now.

“Wait!” Alastor cried out, transforming into a helpless teenager,

“You can’t tell anyone! I swear I’ll do anything you want me to!”  
The trio blinked, seemingly curious as to what their used-to-be friend will do.  
Virgil stopped and turned pausing to act like he was thinking,

“Why.Did.You.Steal.My.Ring.” The words where uttered like a statement, rather than a question.

Alastor took a deep, raspy breath before opening his mouth fully,  
“My mom’s sick…  
“And my dad left last week.”

 Patton made a confused noise,”Left? Like a vacation? That’s not a very soli-“

 _“No!”_ Alastor shouted, causing everyone to jump,  
  
 “He walked out on use ‘cause her insurance wouldn’t cover the costs. He left ‘cause he’s a shitty dad.”  
Patton gasped as Logan shuddered. Virgil looked on blankly. Logan and Alastor watched Patton’s face morph from confused, to horrified, then back to confusion.  
“But that doesn’t explain it? How does your old man leaving cover for you stealing class rings?”

Virgil shook his head as he walked towards Alastor,

“Yes it does, Pat. How do you think his mother is still in the hospital?”

 Patton gasped once more, understanding flashed in his eyes.  
“You-you stole the rings to pawn them off didn’t you?” Silence was the only answer they needed for verification.

 Alastor slowly walked towards the rings, “You can have your ring back,” he bent down, picking up Virgil’s dull ring, “I watched you drop it in the hall this morning, I was going to get it, but these two beat me to it.” He gestured to Logan and Patton. Logan holding a sniffling Patton close.  
Virgil held open his palm once Alastor got close enough for him to drop it. He inspected it carefully, making sure no harm was done, before securing it in his pocket once more.

“Thanks,” he nodded his head to the pile of class rings on the ground.

“What about those, you going to turn them in?”

“I don’t have a say in the matter, do I?”  
“Nope.”  
“Damn.”

Virgil chuckled. Alastor reminded him somewhat of Roman, he would do anything for the ones he loved, even if it meant breaking the law.

 ** _‘But he wouldn’t go this far.’_**  
  
 He quickly shook his head, as if it would clear that thought.  
“You can turn them in how ever you want to, but I know Logan won’t let you leave with them.” He sent a look towards Logan, who was fussing over a calmed down dad friend.  
Alastor nodded curtly,  
“I’m sorry or whatever.” He pushed out the words softly.

“I don’t need your sympathy, though,” he continued on.

Virgil let a puff of air escape him, “Noted.”  
 

 As Logan came over with the rings in a bag, Alastor looked at the bag, obviously confused.  
“Weird right? He keeps a plastic baggy on him at all times, he even has extra in his backpack.” Alastor just smirked, enjoying the new information given to him. He probably‘s like you, no friends.

**_‘But no one at home to go back to.’_ **

He cringed at the thought.  
Before Alastor could walk out of his reach, Virgil gripped his arm,  
“Wait.” He paused, wondering how to say this without seeming like it was out of pity, “If you want, you can sit with me later at lunch, I always sit alone, so it’s not like it would bother anybody.  
Alastor’s eyes widened a fraction, before he looked at Virgil in shock, “But I tried to steal from you! Are you normally this clueless?”  
Virgil merely shrugged, “The offer still stands. Come if you want, but it’s your choice.”  
 

 After the day’s episode of crazy, Virgil sat in the courtyard, anticipation riding on his back.  
It’s not like he would actually- _Oh my god there he is_!

Alastor caught Virgil’s gaze as he sheepishly walked over to him, sitting on the brick wall behind them.

A simple, “Hey” Came out of Alastor’s mouth. Virgil awkwardly shifted on his spot on top of the wall. How did he think this was a good idea again?

**_‘Because he’s all alone.’_ **

Virgil squeaked. “Hi.”  
“So, those two guys helped me put the rings back in the cases without the teachers knowing.”  
Virgil blinked in shock,” Seriously?  
“Yeah, it was mostly because I was the only person who looked after my mom.”  
“Oh.”

 “In the end, they ended up threatening me before they would help me, though.”  
“Why did they threaten you?”  
Alastor’s eyes widened, his pale cheeks almost immediately turned five shades redder. Virgil stared, ~~while he may be observant, he was dense as shit~~.

 Virgil then craned his head towards a round table near the edge of the courtyard, watching as Roman, Logan, and Patton sat down in their respective areas. Roman’s smirk vanished for a second, before being replaced with a soft smile, a few white glistening teeth showing through. He let out a puff of air.

  He looked back at Alastor, grinning as he kept missing a fruit with his fork. Not missing the small growl he let out when it fell off his tray and onto the floor. Virgil let out a chuckle, giving one of his pieces of fruit to Alastor, chuckling all the while.

Although Virgil’s plan never got put into motion, at least he had someone to call a friend.  



	2. Of Rain and Headphones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...   
> Here is the official first chapter of my fanfic! I procrastinated so bad on this, but I think it turned out pretty good!  
> In the one-shot, we got a good idea of the characters positions, but in the fanfic, welcome to slow burn hell >;)  
> (Also please remember "One" was a one-shot based on the first half of the main story, so this chapter takes places BEFORE the events in the one-shot!)
> 
> WARNINGS: Sickness, cursing, and mentions of vomit  
> Tell me if there's more, please!

_“Shut up! Just… Shut up! Please.”_

_A pair of emerald eyes bored into the teen, which seemed to simmer in rage. Virgil Owens shrunk into his hoodie, as if it would keep him safe from Roman's anger. He looked at Logan and Patton, who either looked away from the action or looked just as mad as Roman. Rain slowly tapped onto the pavement below them_

_How cliché._

_Roman started forward, determination flowed through him. For every step he took, Virgil scrambled back by two. Virgil let a breath escape him when his back smacked against the wall. He halted in front of Virgil and peered down his nose at him._

_“Listen Virgil, I don’t know what’s going on with you right now, but it feels like every time you come over, arguing followed you through the door.” Virgil scoffed, pushing against the brick wall and into Roman’s space._

_“No you listen! I wouldn’t be screaming every single time if you could learn for once to mind your own business! But that was too much to ask for, wasn’t it?”_

_“Kiddo, we are just worried about you. We needed to be sure you weren’t doing anything rash.” Virgil brushed by Patton, scoffing. “I would’ve told you if something was up with me, I promised you guys I would, but you didn’t trust me, you still don’t trust me.” All fight left him, instead he chose to head towards his house instead. The three watched him, varying emotions coursed through them._

_Virgil reached the crossing sign before Roman caught up to him._

_“No! No! You don’t get to waltz away like you did nothing, Virgil! Just cool your jets and we’ll go back to Patton’s-“_

_“Do you honestly think I’m going back there? Screw you. I’m sick and tired of all this. I’m going home; don’t wait up.” Virgil checked each side of the road before crossing._

_“Remember Virgil, you chose to walk away from friends who just wanted to help you.” Virgil craned his head back at the trio._

_Virgil glared harshly, wrath clearly shown on his face_

_“Whatever.”_

 

Virgil places his book down, the memory that plays in his head like an annoying tune driving him mad. He rubs his temple, looking down at his chemistry homework for the last time. Virgil raises out of his chair, grabbing his phone and headphones before opening his window. He glances at his partially finished work once more, shaking his head at the stress edging its way to him.

The oak trees are like Virgil’s castles with a crinkly path set out before him. The racing creatures alerting him that he’s not alone in the never ending paradise. The occasional leaf falling reminding him of the upcoming season change. Virgil lifts his nose, taking a deep inhale, catching the earthy tones the trees put out, almost smelling sweet.

Making his way down the narrow wooded path, Virgil plugs in his headphones and selects one of his old playlists overrun with old My Chemical Romance songs, occasionally tapping or humming along.

After ten more minutes of walking, Virgil arrived at a large rock surrounded by trees to his left and an inclined hill to the right. He moves up the warmed rock form the pat heat, plopping down once he reached the top.

The fight from early summer is still plaguing his mind, almost forcing him to think of the moments he lashed out at his beloved friends.

“You don’t understand, Logan. There is absolutely no reason for me to be like this! To be so… so sad!”

“Are you guys even listening to me right now?”

“God I just fucking can’t with you.”

“Just leave.”

He regrets not stealing one of the cigarettes his sister used to smoke. He also regrets the unneeded insults he would throw at his friends when all they wanted to do was help him. Virgil pushed them away; his sister, Roman. Logan, and Patton. He could never make amends with Cathy since she moved to Texas for collage. Maybe he can try with the other three?

 He knows Patton would take him back almost instantly, Logan and Roman on the other hand, not so much. Roman would most likely get pissed that he even asked, and Logan would have lists of reasons not to take Virgil back into their friend group.

Fat chance of that working out. He always screws up one way or another.

These thoughts followed Virgil into a light sleep.

 

Thunder rolling in jolts Virgil awake, gasping for breath as if he finished a 10k. He hurriedly looks at the sky, noticing the soft pastel blues turned into gloomy blacks and grays. Virgil hops off the large rock, deciding that going home is much safer than staying to see if the clouds clear.

He walks down the narrow path once more, stopping every now and then when he heard the trees creak from the harsh wind. He halts his large strides when a small cold drop fell on his nose, he glances up as a few more drops fall. Virgil starts stringing out curses as he runs to the main road, making wild turns as the storm grows tenfold.

_“Shit.shit.shit.shit.shit!”_

His phone screen lights up as Virgil takes it out of his pocket. He quickly places his finger on the home button, unlocking it. Virgil scans through his apps, selecting ‘contacts’ and then Patton.

Seven long rings adds to the light footsteps and rain trampling the ground.

 _“Hey-yo! This is you happy-pappy-Patton speaking! I'm not home right now, but I can take a message. Hang on a second while I get a pencil.”_ Virgil hears a drawer open and shuffling noises.

_“OK, what would you like me to tell me?”_

Virgil cursed before hanging up, pressing the contact titled ‘Planetary’ next. The phone went straight to voicemail, playing the original voice message that arrived with the phone. Virgil then opted for Roman, knowing in his head that they were most-likely out having the time of their life at Patton’s large cottage they used to go to when it rained, playing video games or gossiping with each other to pass the time.

Virgil’s pace slows, hanging up and clutching his phone closely to his chest. He spots a willow tree close by, hastily jogging towards it and sitting on the dry patch of grass, choosing to lean against the bark for comfort.

He can’t call his mother, she had a stomach virus, which would be too uncomfortable for her to drive out. His dad wouldn’t get off work for another fifteen minutes. So that left him with little to no options. Virgil can always walk home, even though that will put his risk of getting sick up by like, seventy percent. Maybe his mom is awake, but she can’t move five feet without needing to vomit. If he tried to call his ‘friends’ again, they would either pick up and get mad at him, pick up and make fun of him, or just simply ignore his calls. His best bet is to sit under the tree for another ten minutes.

 

 

When Virgil made it to the edge of the forest and the start of the road, he sees a very annoyed dad in his silver Honda Civic, paper bags lining the passenger seat. Virgil clambers into the seat, ringing his hoodie out, hoping to rid the excess water before he shut the door.

His father’s gray eyes study Virgil, as if looking for injuries or pieces missing off his son’s frail body. His dark blond hair kept out of his eyes by gels. Seemingly satisfied with what he sees, he tells Virgil to buckle up and pulling out of the makeshift parking spot on the drenched grass.

The ride was mostly silent, Brent would occasionally glance in Virgil’s direction and try to make small talk. He never got any coherent words out of him, just a few mumbles and grunts.

“So, why didn’t your friends get you to hang out this go around?” Brent asks in curiosity, truly meaning no harm. However as Virgil starts tensing up, he realizes his mistake a moment too late. Virgil glares directly at his dad.

“Drop it, dad. I don’t want to talk ‘bout it right now.” His father quickly apologizes, ceasing his attempts of being friendly the rest of the way home.

Turning into their driveway, Brent stops the car and exits, full intent on showering and passing out. Virgil scrambles out of the car after him, calling out quietly.

“Dad, wait!” He turns to look at Virgil. “I-I’m sorry for making you pick me up, and for making you drive home ten minutes late, and for being rude to you in the car, it was so uncalled for and I just-“

“Virgil.” His father interrupts. Virgil looks up slightly.

“It’s okay, Bug. I know you didn’t mean nothin’ by it, we are both pretty stressed, so how ‘bout we both go in and relax?” Virgil nods as his dad pulls him into a side hug, before grabbing his small bag and heading inside, Virgil falling behind him.

Brent opens the door, walking in and placing his items on the nearest table. Virgil steps in after him, taking off his shoes, socks, as soon as the door closes.

“Eh-hm.”

The sound of his mother clearing her voice made Virgil freeze. He turned around, fear etched onto his face. He never told her that he was going out. In the moment, he’s not sure what’s worse, the rage or the disappointment on her face. Voices mending together, they spoke.

“Mom, I can explain.”

“Virge.”

The single word sends shivers down his spine. He stays at the door, not wanting to ruin the floor.

“Care to explain to your mother why on Earth you thought it was a good idea to just up and leave the house without informing me?” He cringes at her bluntness.

“Well… I was doing homework when I got carried away in my thoughts, I started heading down memory lane,” he pauses to make sure she was still listening. “And when I decided enough slacking off, I thought a walk would be good and-‘

“Virgil Decias Owens, don’t you lie to me.” Her harsh gaze slowly falls, worry filling her deep brown eyes. ”I promise you, as long as you did nothing illegal, I’m not mad, just worried.” Virgil looks away, making the pictures on the wall seem like they will unlock the secrets to the universe if he stared hard enough.

“All I did was go to the woods, then I fell asleep. I was only going to be there for a little while! Promise! The storm woke me up and I booked it to get out of there, I called dad after he got off his shift.”

She looks him over, then gestures to carry on. “Just make sure you tell me next time, please Virge, you really gave me a scare.” Virgil agrees quickly, giving her a hug and kiss goodnight, ascending the staircase, careful not to slip.

 

 

As Virgil steps out of his bathroom, he slings his soaked clothes into the black laundry hamper. He slaps on the first set of pajamas he touches, going over to his bed and plopping down. The fuzzy weighted blanket feels like heaven on his iced skin. He turns on his phone to see no notifications other than reblogs from the accounts he follows. He reaches over the bedside table, feeling around for his headphones, only to come up with nothing.

Virgil shoots up. Where are his headphones? Did he leave them in the car? No, he doesn’t remember placing them in the car. Virgil groans as understanding hit him like a ton of bricks, they are either at the rock, or they were by the willow tree. Which means he needs to go out again tomorrow.

He slams his body back onto the bed, wallowing in self-pity. He closes his eyes, hoping tomorrow will be a better day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! We learned a portion of the big fight, {Virgil has a love for rocks?}, and his pops has a pretty stressful job.  
> Sorry it was shorter than the one-shot!  
> Please tell me how I did, I'll take constructive criticism over nothing.  
> (Also please remember "One" was a one-shot based on the first half of the main story, so this chapter takes places BEFORE the events in the one-shot!)  
> Also who gives a child the middle name Decias? Like, who does that?!?


	3. A Stupid Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil's dad has a surprise, his mom is very observant, and Virge makes a very stupid choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...
> 
> I have no words about my...leave...  
> Word Count:1,741 (Not bad ;))

Rain fell onto the concrete, creating a _pit pat_ rhythm that seemed to make its own beat. Large oak trees lined the lot, as if acting as a barrier. The sky was a bleak, ominous gray from the hundreds of clouds hugging the atmosphere. In the distance stood a teen, wearing nothing more than his usual school attire. The teens face was almost as blank as Virgil’s mind seemed to be.

As Virgil looked around, he noticed trees surrounded the empty parking lot, with no roads leading to an exit, so his only option was to confront the intruder on his lot. He started forward, slowly gaining speed the closer he got. He realized it was Roman by the fourth step. By the time he placed himself in front of Roman, Roman was staring him down.

Roman glances at Virgil, reaching his hand out as if beckoning him closer, so Virgil shuffled towards him once more, this time much slower. But, before he could reach his destination, an abrupt, brash sound echoed through his mind.

 ~~~~

Jolting awake, Virgil heaved a breath of relief, knowing that the noise was simply his alarm and not a demon from the abyss. He grabbed his phone, turned the alarm off, and plopped back down. His moment of sinking into the bed was over when his mother called him down for breakfast.

“Virge! Your fantastic mom made omelets!”

Almost dog-like, Virgil perked up. He leaped from the stairs and ran into the dining room. The delectable smell of scrambled eggs and spices filled his nostrils. Virgil glanced around, just now noticing that his dad wasn’t at home.

He opened his mouth to speak as he sat down, “So, mom, I noticed that dad isn’t here.” Tight lipped, she nodded her head. “Is that because of the bills this time, or did he get a call to come in early?”

Leslie sighed, looking down at the omelet on her plate, “A little bit of both, Bug. We’ve just been so behind on our bills lately. We were honestly surprised that we haven’t got a notice yet!”

Virge scrunched up, making himself as small as possible.

**_‘This wouldn’t have been a problem if you just let Roman go.’_ **

He cringed. “Mom,” he started, “this is my fault. If I-.”

 She cut Virgil off before he could finish his sentence. “Nope! None of that, Love. This wasn’t your fault, and plus, we’ve been behind for a while now; so, please, don’t worry, Bug.”

**_‘Look at that, she’s trying to put the blame on herself because you’re too unstable to take it.’_ **

He cringed again as his mother looked on, suddenly concerned. “Virge, you okay?”

He sighed, taking the first bite of the day, tasting the butter and pepper in the omelet and humming at the satisfying taste. Once he was done chewing, he answered, “Yeah, just tired, and, to be honest, worried. Ya see, you remember Roman, right?” He paused, waiting for an answer. She confirmed by a slight nod. “Well, we had a small…‘disagreement’ over something stupid. I want ‘ta make it up for him, you know? I need to make it up to him.”

Realization crossed his mother’s deep brown eyes for a moment, before they were, despite most of her hair up in a simple messy bun, concealed by her auburn bangs. A small smirk played on her lips as she answered him, “Well, you can always get him an apology gift: something the just he, himself, would want? I can help you find a stable job at your aunt’s boutique, if you like?”

Virge fidgeted with his fingers, picking at what was left of his nails. A nervous habit he picked up from Roman before he went on stage.

“Maybe,” he finally murmured.

Just as his mother was about to reply, his father plowed through the door, immediately taking off his shoes, belt, and watch. He stopped mid-way through basically getting undressed as he looked over to see a bemused wife and uncomfortable son.

“Oh! Hey fam,” he scratched his check with his index finger, the calloused hands fumbled together once he finished, “I didn’t really see you guys! Sorry ‘bout that.” Virgil’s mom chuckled, watching him take a seat next to her.

Brent turned to Virgil, unmistakably ecstatic, “So, Virge, Bug, my main man,” he listed off other nicknames as his son snorted, amused.

“Yeah, dad?” Virgil’s eyes lit up once his father vibrated in his seat, shoving the omelet down his throat.

“So, I have this really close friend of mine, so close that he’s almost like my uncle, who moved into Freshwater recently.” Brent’s laugh lines crinkled in his joy.

Virgil motioned for him to continue with his hand. “And he, as of yesterday, opened up this really cool,” he paused purposefully, waiting for a reaction. Virge urged him on with a head nod.

“Really rad.” Virgil glanced at his mom, who tried to contain her soft giggles.

“Super-duper retro.”

“Dad,” Virgil groaned out, already wanting to know the news. His father laughed, and his mother finally broke out into the giggles she wisely hid behind the hands earlier.

“Alright, alright, I’m sorry, Bug; but you know I had to.” Virgil smirked.

“Yeah? Well, one day I’ll have ‘ta ‘getcha back, Pops.”

 His father rolled his eyes before he spoke again, accompanied by waving hand gestures, “He opened up a really awesome antique store! It’s complete with everything you could imagine! And tomorrow, when we look for you a good summer job, we can go check it out! What do ya say?”

Virgil’s face must have been enough for his father to know he would say yes a thousand times over, for his smile grew about ten times more vibrant. The smell of the old books, the fabric of true vintage clothing, it was all so relaxing to him.

“Tomorrow we’ll check it out, okay?”

“Okay.”

 ~~~~

Virgil woke from a, thankfully, dreamless sleep. He reached for his phone, turning off the alarm. Today was the day that he could finally spend some time with his dad, and he got to do it at an antique shop no less!

He scrambled up from the bed and slipped into a pair of worn jeans and purple hoodie. He grabbed the nearest pair of black out converse and slid down the stairs. He smiled as he walked into the kitchen, where he saw his father was miraculously already home from work, and his mother on the counter, eating a cereal bar.

His father turned to him, dressed in casual clothing for once, instead of his usual suit.

“Ready to head out, Bug?” Virgil walked over to his mom, placing a kiss on her forehead,

“Yeah, let’s hurry, too! I don’t want to miss out on something. What if someone buys something that was destined to be mine?”

His mother chuckled at his antics, giving him a smiling kiss in return.

 ~~~~

The antique store was small, not that there was anything wrong with small, since Virgil doesn’t like largely open spaces. In fact, it was the perfect medium between too large and too small. The entrance was surrounded by old leather tooling, and the windows showed the old shelves filled to the brim with books, toys, and trinkets of all kinds. The deep brown had a homey feel to it, almost like a grandparent’s house.

As Virgil and his father walked into the amazing store, he was reminded of his mother’s words, “Well, you can always get him an apology gift: something the just he, himself, would want?” His gaze drifted over the selection of old sports items as his father chatted with his almost-uncle. He saw a small section labeled Active. The section held old basketballs, skates, skateboards, and even polo equipment, yet nothing caught his eye.

_What would Roman even want? He already has everything possible._

“Virgil!” His father’s raised voice shot him from deep thought. Virgil flinched, and he turned quickly to the voice. His dad gestured for him to come over, so Virgil made his way to the two men.

“Clyde, this is Virgil, my son. Virge, this is Clyde Shoemaker, my not-so-uncle uncle!”  Virgil puffed out a quick breath of air from the long nickname, before shyly responding with a simple “Hi.”

Once again, Virgil is the awkward disaster he made himself out to be.

As the two started conversation again, Virgil made his way to the leather jackets because surly Roman would like another leather jacket since he only has ten now.

Yeah, no. Bad idea.

Virgil skimmed over the jackets, looking for something interesting before it caught his eye.

A ring. It wasn’t a manly ring, sure. But it was a seriously wicked one. The closer he got to the ring, the more and more he fell in love with it, and the more and more he knew Roman would love it too.

He picked it up, scanning the detail. The golden finish that was obviously put on years ago was faded, leaving the main color a dull gold, but the finish still seemed to shine as bright as ever. The ring had a very detailed flower with rose-like petals, but it looked crossed with an iris. The flower was most likely red in the past, for the years were not kind to the coloring, as the flower was plumish-pink.

Virgil turned the ring, following the vines and petals that wrapped around it until he reached the bottom.

He took back what he said about the ring not being manly.

The underside of the ring had a strange type of sword hilt, as detailed, if not more so, as the flower.

God, Roman really would love it. He check the display box the ring was placed on for a price, only to physically recoil.

_$14,000._

No way could he ever even come close to affording that. He set the ring back down. He migrated to the books, finding one on Chinese mythology and a novel about an astronomer in another world without knowledge on space, double checked the price because he was not paying over ten dollars today thank you, and checked out.

Clyde greeted him as he was leaving. Hell, he even wished him well. As soon as he got in the car with his father though, he broke.

“Dad?”

“Yeah, Bug?”

"Where can I find a job to get me $14,000 in two months?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Virgil's little voice problem doesn't actually start here. The "voice" is more like a one time thing here since his mood was good, and here is a secret:  
> Virgil may or may not meet someone very crucial for his... well-being in the near future.
> 
>  
> 
> I really enjoyed getting back into this fanfiction!   
> Please tell me if a made mistakes.  
> And, as always, constructive criticism and your opinions are always welcome!


	4. A Stupid Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil is off to find a job, but in his search, he stumbles upon a past he doesn't feel like dealing with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually had a ton of fun with this chapter. I also tried adding more emotion to the characters, and, next time, I plan on adding even more!

Virgil’s hands seem to shake uncontrollably. His breath is coming out in quick spurts in the backseat of his mother’s car; _man_ , is he second guessing this whole job thing. He’s honestly surprised that he hasn’t yet melted into a puddle on the floor. The car pulls over to the curb, and a certain numbness spreads through Virgil as he grips fruitlessly for the door handle before finally grabbing it and pulling it full force. He seriously needs out of this car.

Virgil clambers out of the Nissan Maxima, gently pushing the car door until it closes. He wrings his upper arm, grimacing as it rubs the scratchy suit shirt material against his already flush skin.

He looks back at his mother, watching the way her eyes skim over him once more. It made his nerves shoot up more, if that was even possible at this point. Seeming to relax in defeat, she sighed, motioning for Virgil to come closer. He decides listening was better than getting a stare of doom, so he quickly leans forward.

She reaches across the car’s passenger seat from her spot in the driver’s, giving her son I firm slap on the shoulder.

“Virge, you know you got this, after all, it’s only a stocking job. That means almost zero percent chance of having to speak to someone!”

While he does appreciate his mom’s attempts to calm him down, it didn’t help. Like, at all.  Just him imagining all the possible scenarios made him cringe.

What if someone need directions on his first day, but he has no idea where it is? Should he just ignore them? Tell them a random isle number? He definitely wasn’t going to walk with them everywhere. That would get awkward fast.

As he’s internally monologuing different solutions, he never noticed that his mother drove away with a knowing smirk on her face. He didn’t realize she left until a new car drove by him, making him flinch. Confusion etched its way onto his face, followed by betrayal. Putting on a mask of positivity, Virgil waddles into the store.

Interviews were never Virgil’s strong point. For some reason, having potential bosses asking questions that he sometimes lied to made him jittery and anxious, and even more so once they start going over Virgil’s application.  Thankfully, this one wasn’t a total bust, and he might even be hired for once. Yeah, a job at a small convenience store wasn’t getting him 14,000 big ones in two months, but, hey, it’s a start.

**A Stupid Job**

Virgil exits the store with a small smile on his face: that could’ve gone _so_ much worse than it had. His potential co-workers greeted him kind enough, with only a select few doing a double take. His boss was nice, too. She went through a series of questions and didn’t show too much of any emotion. Virgil was worried, at first, that his boss would be a ball of rage, so when he slumbered into the neat office in the break room, Virgil let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

Sure, she also didn’t show a lot of joy, but it was better than being on the receiving end of disappointment or disgust.

Shaking his head out of the memory, he decides some tea could calm his nerves before heading out to the next interview location. So, with his head held high, Virgil walks to the nearest café.

**A Stupid Job**

A bell chimes as Virgil pushes open the glass door, taking in the smell of coffee and muffins. He internally groans at the line in front of him, but decides it won’t kill him to wait.

He glances around the small yet roomy area in the meantime, noticing the light peanut brown walls contrasting with the dark cedar trim. The chairs here were either matching the wall scheme. Pastel colored beanbags lined some shorter tables made for relaxing college students. Soft pinks, greens, and blues were sat on by students, teachers, and children alike, with most of them having some sort of beverage in their possession. Many pictures of coffee cup clip art lined the walls. For some reason though, Virgil felt slightly on edge. There’s something about this place, yet he couldn’t place his finger on it.

By the time Virgil was done taking in the sights, it was his turn to order. He quickly scanned the menu since he already knows what he wants, having come here often.

A dumbfounded expression meets his face. Correction, he _came_ here often.

He was feeling uneasy because this is the place they would go to get drinks after school since their freshman year, and, if Virgil was correct, Roman, Patton, and Logan would continue their old ritual without him. Virgil sighed, relaxing since today was Sunday. Luckily, they would usually skip out on Sundays.

The barista clearing her throat blasts Virgil awake, and he quickly order a Cup of Calm, one of his favorites. He never knew what was in it, though. He side steps to the pickup area, waiting for his name to be called.

Even though he knows they shouldn’t be here today, Virgil still feels uneasy. The kind of uneasy a cat would feel when dealing with a new potential threat. He shakes his head again, trying to drown out the nervousness he’s feeling.

“Tea to go for Vilgeil.” Every time. They get it wrong every time.

Virgil practically runs to the pickup spot, grabbing his tea he whispers a small thank you and scurries out the door and into the summer heat. Maybe getting a hot tea was a bad idea.

As Virgil rounds the corner, he stops as he hears a familiar voice-scratch that, two familiar voices. Virgil quickly turns on his phone, reading the date.

 _Monday, June 4_ it read.

Shit. They were on their way. _To the. Exact place. He is at._

Dropping his still scorching tea, he books it to the other side of the street, hiding behind the corner and praying to whatever’s out there to keep him hidden this once.

Virgil tries to listen closely to what they’re saying, slowing his breathing in the process.

“And then I was like, ‘Jason, you madman! You can’t just go around attempting to size up our opponents! Especially South Side!’ And you know what he did after that? He walked up to their captain next game and challenged him! The guy was basically six-four, but hey, Little Timmy is not-so-little now either.”

That story had to be Roman’s, since he was the only one out of the three of them who plays a sport. Logan and Patton were not as passionate about sports. Logan taking it upon himself to make an astronomy club, and Patton focused on culinary, even if the food he made was… _interesting_ sometimes.

Virgil hears nothing. They must have gone inside by now, so he trails his way on his path again, eye cast downward.

Yet as he peers over the edge, he panics. Because right in front of him is none other than Roman Prince himself, those familiar emerald hues seemed to radiate arrogance.

“See? I _told_ you guys that we had a straggler.” Roman looks smug. His chest was lifted slightly and elbows back. His caramel curls swept to the left die as per usual, but he added a small portion of red streaks to compliment his favorite color, red.

Logan cocks a brow at Virgil, taking in the slightly shaking form of a former friend. Patton just looks happy to see him, if not a little weary.

Virgil shifts his gaze to look at the pavement, finding it more interesting than the trio at the moment. It takes him a moment to recollect himself.

“I wasn’t following you. I just wanted to get some tea. In all honesty, I would’ve preferred not seein’ you.” Virgil spoke in short, stuttering sentences, squirming at the three sets of eyes looking at him.

Roman’s mouth opens as Logan’s tightens.

Patton senses the ever-thickening tension and speaks up. “Well, Kidd- Virgil, It was nice seeing you around, but I think we have to go, Roman’s got rehearsal, you know how it is.” No, Virgil didn’t know how it was. Especially considering it wasn’t time for theater to start.

Virgil stammers out a reply. “Um, no, I don’t. It’s-uh- kinda the start of- um- summer, ya know?”

One look at their faces is all Virgil needs to realize that coming here was a bad idea. Roman’s fury was unmistakable, with his fists shaking and his shoulders overly tense. Logan’s indifference plays at Virgil’s self-loathing like no other because he barely cracks his perfect neutral features for the youngest, choosing to simply look the other way. And Patton’s poor, selfless expression makes Virgil want to hurl because _it’s not fair_. Patton’s eyebrows are drawn up in a way such that they look cartoonish. His face shows pain that wasn’t brought up overnight, yet that same face portrays the most careful of emotions, love.

Roman is the first to speak again. “I don’t really believe that, Gerard Waste-a-Way.” Roman’s snark is evident in his voice, and his hands wave rambunctiously to seemingly no end.

In all honesty, Virgil is, for once, tired of all the drama. He balls his fists, looks Roman dead in the face, and speaks, “Listen Princey, I wasn’t following you guys. I was just get-getting some tea, ‘aight?” The trio’s brows go in a waving motion, some going up, and some going down. Virgil decides not to stop there.

 “‘Sides,” he continues, “I get the feeling none of you guys were missing me too much, right?” Virgil’s eyes are being powered by a deep ocean storm, waiting to strike something-anything-with its lighting.

“Now, hold on there, Virge!” Virgil hearing Patton use an old nickname and not his usual Kiddo hurt, in all honesty. “We never said we didn’t miss you. In fact, we never wanted you to leave!”

“Really now?” Virgil’s reply is instant. “I don’t know ‘bout that because the last thing one of you said to me was ‘get over it or get lost’.” All eyes immediately fall onto Roman, who looks away guiltily, grabbing his upper arm with his hand, the grip tightening slightly with each beat of silence.

The tense atmosphere is interrupted by the man himself, a defensive snarl on his lips. “Well, what else could we have done, Virgil? Let you bring us down? Watch you waste away in front of our very eyes?! We tried helping you, Logan, Patton, and I, but you didn’t want it! So don’t go and try to pin this on us!”

Virgil starts forward, before he stops as Logan holds up his hand.

“Virgil,” Logan practically pleads, “I understand you’re upset about this, but there is no reason to fight. We can work something out, okay?” Virgil rapidly shakes his head, refusing Logan’s proposition. He’s not going back to a group that doesn’t care, and Virgil says as much to them, just wanting to leave.

“Don’t be like this, Virge,” Patton states, his eyes cast downward in sorrow and his shoulders start to hunch in on him. Virgil glares harshly at Patton, barely noticing Patton shrink in on himself even more afterwards.

“Be. Like. What,” Virgil asks, menace leaking through forced words.

Roman is the first one on his case. “Like a prick! A spoiled brat! I don’t know, Virgil, but I do know that no matter how insufferable you are right now, we miss you.”

Virgil gapes at the tan teen, eyes blown wide. Did he seriously just say that they miss him? Why the ever-loving shit would they miss him? He’s only been a nuisance if anything: today had obviously proved that.

Virgil can feel his nerves becoming a jumbled, unstable mess, with his breath speeding up and his eyes become cloudy. “Stop telling me lies, god dang-it! I’m not as stupid as I used to be, okay? Screw this! And screw you!” Virgil promptly turns around and run in what he hopes is the opposite direction that they are going after their traditional “coffee date”.

**A Stupid Job**

Once Virgil decides that he’s far enough away from the trio, he stops. Breathing heavily, he checks his surroundings. His dark hues observe a few parents out with their children, and a nice looking elderly couple walking a poodle. He pushes down his anxiousness, trying to delay what he fears is an anxiety attack. If he had one hear, there’s no telling what would happen. Virgil shivers at the thought.

He checks the street address, Parker Lane. That’s one street down from his house. So, with his mind being overrun with negative emotions, he trudges down the street, eyeing every suspicious person wearily as they pass him. As he scurries past a trashy looking apartment complex, a brick building with four stories that consists of some mangy doors hanging on a hinge; broken windows; and the paint, that’s visible at least, is peeling off and tinged a beige yellow tone. What makes this building different from the others, strangely, is the noise that erupted from it.

It was shouting, and not just any type of shouting. Virgil listens closely, hearing what seems to be a mother and father arguing, with a teen interjecting after a few louder claims.

He chooses to stick with his gut and passes the house walking slightly faster, so much so that it could be considered as jogging at that point.

**A Stupid Job**

By the time he arrives home, it’s almost nine p.m. That’s one hour before his dad has work, since Virgil newly discovered that today was, in fact, Monday and not Sunday.

Virgil walks into his house, slipping off his black out converse, and plops onto the couch. He ignores his mother as she raises a brow in question, valuing the hour nap that awaits him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please tell how I did or review, as I'm always striving to improve!  
> Thanks :)

**Author's Note:**

> There we go! Please leave a comment and tell me how I did and if you enjoyed it as much as I loved writing it!
> 
> I have a Tumblr called artistic-nacho if you would like to follow me there  
> Thank you for reading, and please tell me if there are any triggers or errors :)


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